Posts Tagged ‘Biodegradable Plastic Bags’

I’m no fan of plastic, when there’s a giant island of it floating in the pacific ocean. Who would be? We have yet to come up with an effective way of getting rid of the stuff and as a result it ends up clogging waterways, floating through the air like some strange alien creature and nesting unpleasantly in trees. And they cost taxpayers millions in environmental cleanup. I’m all for getting rid of the things completely, since it takes at least 100 years for them to break down.

I was excited to learn that a company in Chicago, The Plastic Bag Solution, has begun distributing a biodegradable plastic bag. The bags are made from natural materials such as corn and sugar and don’t contain any petroleum as plastic bags do. They also have a great website that offers facts and videos about plastic bags and includes some handy resources for finding ways to compost and recycle.

Alderman Moreno of the 1st Ward and 4 other Aldermen are giving the company a boost by handing out the environmentally friendly bags in their wards or you can head over to the Green Grocer if you’re interested in trying out one these bags.

Alderman Moreno is also an outspoken voice for the banning of plastic bags in Chicago. There is still time to help him with this cause by signing the VETO Illinois SB 3442 petition. Illinois SB 3442 is an act that would forbid the banning of or allowing a fee for plastic bags in Illinois. Apparently this act is in response to 12 year old Abby Goldberg’s campaign to get plastic bags banned in her town of Grayslake, IL. Just goes to show you how far the plastic industry will go–bullying a 12 year old!

Here is a shocking fact from The Plastic Bag Solution’s site: 1.37 million plastic bags were removed from coastal areas worldwide in one day last year.